How Much It Costs To Be Summer Roberts From The O.C. For 1 Day

There’s nothing more nostalgic than listening to Phantom Planet’s 2002 hit “California” and being whisked away to the sun-kissed world of The O.C. It’s been more than 20 years since the show premiered, but it remains a comfort watch for many. Even though Seth Cohen is having a moment thanks to Adam Brody in Nobody Wants This, it was Summer Roberts (played by Rachel Bilson) who was the character you’d really want to hang with.

Sure, Marissa Cooper was The O.C.’s it girl at the start, but Summer’s bubbly personality, enviable closet, and hilarious moments made her someone you wanted to be — and be BFFs with. The best part about Summer’s life? Unlike other Newport Beach residents on the show, she never really had to deal with family debt and financial ruin.

According to ZipRecruiter, a plastic surgeon (what Summer’s dad Dr. Neil Roberts did for a living) makes around $188,000 to $415,000 a year. In 2024, the average salary in California for surgeons is around $306,725, and according to Bustle, Dr. Roberts’ net worth compared to other celeb doctors would be around $40 million to $70 million. So as an only child, Summer never really had to worry about sticking to a strict budget.

This would make a day in her life pretty pricey. For a complete breakdown of what it *actually* costs, below is everything you would need to spend money on if you were Summer Roberts for 24 hours.

The Long-Term Expenses: Living In Newport Beach Isn’t Cheap

Summer and her friends attended Harbor High, a private school in Newport Beach based on producer McG’s actual high school in California. While the real-life inspiration is a public school called Corona del Mar High, Dr. Roberts would actually send Summer to Sage High School, the top-rated private school in Orange County.

The annual tuition for Sage is $53,770, which is around $299 a day when you divide that by how many California school days there are in a year (~180). In addition to high school costs, Dr. Roberts would also need to pay for his mansion in Newport.

The exterior shots of Summer’s house were filmed on Wagon Road in Agoura Hills, California. According to Realtor, the Roberts’ six-bedroom mansion recently sold in 2024 for around $6,250,000. If Dr. Roberts paid off his home, he would just be responsible for the property tax, which was around $36,269 in 2007 or roughly $99 a day.

When it comes to her school and house, Summer isn’t the one paying the bills, but these are the base-level costs to participate in her daily life.

Total: $398

Summer Has A Morning Of Crimping, Nails, And Breakfast On The Patio

6:30 a.m.: Summer’s morning routine is likely just as low-maintenance as Bilson’s, who told Allure she doesn’t even have a hair routine. “I don't wash it every day because that just does not work for my hair or the frizz that comes with it,” she said.

On a day where she would wash her hair, Bilson likes to use R+Co’s shampoo ($38) and conditioner ($38). To give her locks a bit more of the Cali girl volume, Bilson uses L'Oreal Paris’ Elnett Satin Hairspray ($13).

According to Bilson, “the classic Summer look was when her hair wasn’t straight, but not a full-on wave either.” She would likely crimp her locks with something like Bed Head’s Little Tease Hair Crimper ($21).

6:50 a.m.: When it comes to skin care, Bilson told Well+Good that she just uses a makeup wipe and applies face cream. A popular brand for early aughts teens was Neutrogena’s Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes ($6), and Summer would need a moisturizer with some SPF for sunny California that also gives her a bit of a glow. In 2009, her go-to was Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer ($10).

7 a.m.: With a cleansed and moisturized face, Summer would move on to her super simple beauty routine. Blush may be trending in 2024 with Sabrina Carpenter and Hailey Bieber, but back in 2003 when The O.C. premiered, it was all about bronzer.

Bilson revealed to Refinery29 that her “signature since high school” is Bobbi Brown’s bronzer powder ($47). The 2000s were all about bold eyeliner and lip gloss as well, so Summer would throw on Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil ($23) and the nostalgic Lancôme Juicy Tubes ($25).

7:15 a.m.: While Marissa rocked baguette bags and Chanel prom dresses, Summer was just as much of a Y2K style icon. She wore everything from Juicy Couture tracksuits and argyle sweaters to floral tunics and casual blazers. A typical school day ‘fit would consist of something like a Michael Kors halter top ($195), a Marc Jacobs denim miniskirt ($150), and a Juicy Couture jacket ($99).

Instead of a backpack, Summer brings a Coach shoulder bag ($450), a tube of her lip gloss, and her Sanyo SCP PM-8200 flip phone ($279) to school.

7:35 a.m.: In Season 3, Episode 7, Summer is seen painting her nails before school. Her color of choice? A pale pink from Essie ($13).

7:45 a.m.: Unlike the Cohens, fans didn’t get to see a ton of Summer’s home life on The O.C. However, in Season 3 when Marissa and Summer are both living in the Roberts mansion, they have a tense breakfast on the back patio. While most teenagers enjoy a quick bagel or bowl of cereal before heading to school, rich girl Summer enjoys a full spread of coffee, toast, and fresh fruit.

This is another expense her dad would be taking care of, but to re-create her first meal of the day, it would cost you around $41 ($23 fruit salad, $3 loaf of bread, and $15 coffee bag).

8:15 a.m.: Summer would get to school a little early to grab a $5 coffee or latte from the school’s cafe before heading to class. In the show, she drives a silver BMW convertible, and a full tank of gas in California around that time would have been roughly $50. In 2003, the cost of full premium car insurance was around $1,089 a month ($36 a day), which Summer would also be responsible for.

While at Harbor High, Summer wouldn’t be spending any money, so there’d be no need to pull out her wallet until lunchtime.

12 p.m.: In Season 2, Episode 9, Marissa and Summer leave campus to grab lunch at In-N-Out Burger. A Double-Double combo with fries and a drink is about $10.

Total: $1,549

Summer’s Go-To After-School Hangs

3:45 p.m.: After school, Summer’s first stop is the mall to see what’s new. With Marissa by her side, she might pick up some fashion essentials like a velour tracksuit ($119 hoodie, $99 pants), Dior saddle bag ($4,099), and low-rise Diesel jeans ($295).

5 p.m.: Looking around the mall would be tiring, so Summer and Marissa would want to refuel by meeting up with Seth and Ryan for a bite to eat at The Pier Diner, their go-to spot. Ruby’s Diner located on the beach in Newport is a similar restaurant to the hot spot on the show, and a chicken tenders combo with a chocolate shake is around $23.

6:30 p.m.: Before going out for the night, Summer would finish up her homework at home and change into something more chic.

Summer opted for dresses when going out to The Bait Shop, a charity event, or date night with Seth. In Season 1, she wears a red BCBGMaxAzria dress, like this $278 mini dress.

Her evening makeup look would require applying more eyeliner, before throwing her Juicy Tube into a monogrammed crescent bag like this one from Tory Burch ($468).

Total: $5,381

Summer Has A Night Out At The Bait Shop

8 p.m.: When there isn’t a school carnival or high-society auction, the crew is often spotted at the Bait Shop for a concert featuring one of the most popular bands of the early 2000s like Rooney and Modest Mouse. General admission tickets for Modest Mouse’s upcoming show in LA are $73 on Ticketmaster.

If Summer was dating Seth or Zach, they’d likely get her drinks at The Bait Shop. If not, she’d spend $7 on a drink.

11 p.m.: When Summer gets home, she’d start on her nighttime routine. To remove her makeup, she’d use the same cleansing wipes and then apply a traditional face cream instead of her Jergens self-tanner moisturizer. In 2023, Bilson shared with Allure that she has sensitive and dry skin, so she likes to use GOOPGENES’ All-in-One Nourishing Face Cream ($105). Finishing up, Summer would apply Dr Pepper Lip Smacker ($2).

11:20 p.m.: In Season 1, Summer wears a yellow Juicy Couture tracksuit when lounging in her room, so she’d likely wear something similar to bed. A classic velour hoodie and pants set is $298.

11:30 p.m.: Before falling asleep, Summer would catch up on the latest celeb news and beauty must-haves from fashion magazines like Teen Vogue ($2) or Cosmopolitan ($4).

Total: $491

TL;DR: Summer Isn’t That Spoiled After All

Summer may come off as a vapid Cali girl who likes to shop and talk about boys, but getting to know her over The O.C.’s four seasons, you realize you really can’t judge a book by its cover. She may not have been a comic book nerd like Seth Cohen, but she’s smart enough to get into Brown University.

She’s also pretty financially responsible. Even though it’s way more than what you typically spend in a day, being Summer is a lot cheaper than walking around in Marissa’s Ugg boots, or living as some of Josh Schwartz’s other characters like Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen from Gossip Girl.

Her most expensive purchases are fashion-related, but it’s all within her budget. Instead of wearing designer dresses on a daily basis, she mixes things up with high-fashion staples and items every Y2K girly had in their closet.

Total: $7,819